Misfortune In Enderby

Last night I was awakened suddenly by a noise that sounded like an explosion, this was 4ish. I got out of bed and roamed barefoot from window to window only seeing empty streets. In the morning while walking the dogs on Old Salmon Arm Rd I had to run home to get my camera to take photo's of the guys peeling off the old school roof. While taking the pictures I noticed what looked like smoke or fog from the river. A women walking her dog told me it was a fire and that a volunteer fire fighter had died. My heart goes out to the family of the young man. It's a dangerous job. The fire was on Brickyard Rd at Sperlich Log Construction. I drove to the site and took a few more photo's. It's all over the news but one says he was 25 and another says the firefighter was 29.  He was newly married. 

You can see the smoke to the left of the photo. The white suits gleamed against the dark of the cliffs.

Smoke was still bellowing out by the time I arrived. 

Fire Fighters were still hosing water on the building  approximately 5 hours after they thought it was contained .  

I drove over to the now empty North Valley  Frame Works where Steve once worked on Bass Ave and got this shot. It was close to a number of business's. 

I thought about the men still working on the fire knowing one of their own was gone taken by the fire they were still containing. I hope they give themselves time to mourn.

Thank you to all the Fire Fighters, take care.

Log Rolling Dudes?

Enderby has a newly commissioned sculpture. What is your opinion of this historic depiction of the log rollers of the Shuswap? Please leave a comment. If you click on the photo's they will get bigger for better viewing.

If you look at just the right angle you see very little of the sculpture .

I thought it was a great idea to put the logger dudes on top of the log sign  for Belvidere Park.

Check out some of the detail; wire around head for hair.

I don't know who did the sculpture.

Baby Brawn Book Launch

The excitement began as my husband Steve and I walked through the parking lot of Bastion Elementary School in Salmon Arm. Kids were running to get into the school leaving their parents behind struggling to catch up. We followed the sounds of play through the isles thinking maybe we were going the wrong way. Better ask the friendly pair counting out tickets. “Is this the way to the book signing?” We had arrived into a gymnasium sectioned off with basket ball games of historical significance. Every corner was a different way of playing basket ball; from Duck on a Rock, wheelchair basketball to original basketball.

I introduced myself to writer Wilf Pauls, teacher librarian, and illustrator Cathy Steeves, first grade French immersion teacher at Bastion Elementary. Pauls and Steeves were the guiding force behind the organized chaos that quickly surrounded us. This was the book launch for their second book “Baby Brawn Basketball Superstar”. Last year they launched their first book “Baby Brawn Hockey Superstar” both published in Canada by Friesens Corporation.

I reached up as high as I could to get all the foot prints in the  shoe size chart. Baby Brawn's print is in the far right hand corner.

Writer Wilf Pauls, illustrator Cathy Steeves

Pauls, Steeves and fan Aspen Ambler

A personal message for Aspen.

They had a size for everyone.

Bigger than life Baby Brawn's Mommy and fans. With historical notes and instructions on games.

The history of basketball.

Important dates in basketball.Add caption

It was obvious the kids loved these books and felt pride in knowing the teacher and librarian that produced the books. Lines were forming to buy books, tee shirts, eat cookies, cakes and to play ball. Smiles were on the faces of parents and kids of all ages as they played, munched basketball cookies and waited for a personal message to be written in their books. I bought both books, today I will send them to a special someone on my Christmas list. 
Check out Enderby's River Talk
http://www.enderbyrivertalk.com/

Enderby Crafts Fair December 2ND and 3RD at the Seniors Hall

The Open Air market had a crafts fair at the Seniors Hall this week end. Lots of goodies to eat, a coffee shop in the kitchen and gifts for all. 

Tiny wooden shoes.

If you want slippers this is the place to get them!

Bears and aprons for your dish soap.

Jolly

Scarves.

Jillian was busy decorating the front of the Gypsy Bazaar for the downtown festivities.

I Have Been Busy

Karen ready for volunteering at the Gypsy Bazaar, it's interesting talking to the people that come and go. With all the road work on the highway more people are driving by and stopping in to see what  it's all about. 

I finally got a food dehydrator. I have dehydrated plums, pears, pumpkin and have done some interesting experiments with kale and onions. I love some of the kale chips.

My Favorite so far.

Wash and dried Kale, four large leaves, strip the leaves off the stalk into 2 to 4 inch pieces (5 to 10 cm)
One large radish chopped
presoak 2 tbs sunflower seeds
and 2tbs hemp seeds
juice of one lemon
sunflower oil 1tbs
miso 1 tbs
salt 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
Ginger powder 1/2tsp

Put all but kale into blender and make a thin paste. Coat the kale with the blended mixture and place on racks in the dehydrator. Set on a medium heat for two to four hours or until crispy.
Enjoy

Pat's pears were alien like, but I haven't had a tastier pear since. 

This looks like something out of a Kristian Adam painting.

Love the fall colors. 

Mattie, if you take enough pictures you are sure to get a cute one. Poor guy, it's flea season and he has a sensitivity to fleas. Lots of brushing , vacuuming and washing of doggy bedding.  If I'm not home for most of the day he will sleep on my pillow. 

We now have three fish. Denis & Linda added their big goldfish to our tank and they all get along just fine.

The Colendula continued to bloom after the frost, I was impressed. Our little square foot gardens were not as productive as we had hoped. We did get some big cabbages, the biggest one I made sauerkraut with. I am pleased with the first attempt, nice carrots, some peas and beans.

The beginning of a great batch of cookies, Lemon Poppy seed.

One of my campaign strategies was to have a booth at the Winter Market.  The table was laden with a tray of cookies (Lemon poppy seed painted with poppies using beet root powder for coloring and plum spice) aprons and lots of brochures. November 19TH Vote  Karen Durant for Enderby Council.  

This is Tom we nick named him "The Smoking Man", he always has a pipe in his hand. We bumped into him as we were waiting for the Remembrance Day service, we were an hour early and had to go home to get warm it was so cold. I asked Tom if I could take a picture of him and his beautiful medals. His answer was sad, "This is the first time I have worn my medals, I didn't like the way I was treated, they treated me better in England." The medals represent the places he had been and how many fronts he had been on. They did look good and had a nice jingle to them. I didn't ask him about his missing bit of ear maybe I should re nick name him "Smokin Tom Cat".

Steve at the Remembrance service. 

A beautiful fall day on the bridge, waiting for the runners in the Great Big Run for Africa

Fall river shot. Looking South from the bridge to Mable Lake.